God's Amazing Bible

How much do we take for granted? We take for granted freedom in this country, and the blood spilled to make that possible. We also take for granted the accessible nature of the Bible and our freedom to read it, believe it and practice it. Go to other countries and you will realize just how much we take for granted. But, our freedom gives us opportunity to learn the most amazing evidences for God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ being the Son of the Living God. There are many amazing things about the Bible, but one feature sets it high above all other religious books. We have the prophetic word, and we have that prophetic word made more sure and certain.

Consider the element of prophecy in the Bible, unmatched by any other religious book. Consider the Old Testament as the part that Jewish writers wrote hundreds of years before Jesus Christ was born. Then consider how many prophecies they wrote that described Him in amazing detail. Consider the odds of one man fulfilling just eight of those prophecies, to say nothing of the dozens and dozens of prophecies, types, and shadows of this Messiah and His kingdom fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Consider the following article:


The Mathematical Odds of Jesus Fulfilling Prophecy

The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963) to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies, 'we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017." That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep.

"Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man."

Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, "we find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10157, or 1 in

100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

The estimated number of electrons in the universe is around 1079. It should be quite evident that Jesus did not fulfill the prophecies by accident."

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This information was taken from the book Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell


The Bible is an amazing Book. It not only prophesied great details about a Messiah who was coming, but it also gave amazing types and shadows of him hundreds of years before the Messiah arrived in Jesus of Nazareth and fulfilled every detail. The writers of the New Testament were amazed by this factor, as one of the reasons they were convicted enough to live and die for the spread of this message. They saw what we all need to see.

The New Testament shows how Jesus fulfilled those prophecies, types, and shadows in every way. Those writers suffered and died to let us see what they saw, and understand what they understood (Eph.3:3-5). It would be a shame if we let it sit on the table and collect dust as the rich man and his brothers had done for so long (Luke 16:19ff). Let the rich man's anguish over that neglect, and his regret and fear that his brothers would repeat the same mistake, be an alarm to make us afraid to take God's word for granted any more.

We have the prophetic word made more sure (2 Pet.1:16-21). When you study and start grasping these marvelous things, light comes on in the mind, heart, and life, growing brighter and brighter until it is like the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. You realize that you hold in your hands the most important information in the world. Nothing in the security vaults of our nations' top-secret chambers holds any information more important than the treasures of wisdom and knowledge available to us in the Bible. When it dawns on you, Glory fills the soul. We are enlightened and illuminated (Heb.6:4). Why does that happen? Because it becomes very clear that the will of man and human wisdom did not produce the prophetic word. Truly, holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. This book of prophesy has the power of God in it to save the soul from death, enlighten the mind, and guide the soul to eternal life. Oh, what a subject that is itself!

If you have lost sight of how marvelous and amazing the Bible is, spend some time within its pages, and let that Star rise again in your heart. The Psalmist said: "Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law"(Psalm 119:18). Have you seen that glorious light? Don't let your chances get by you. Neglect other things, but don't neglect this. It is too amazing to neglect for needless and useless things that make useless lives. Study this book. Your life here and after death depends on it.

By Terry W. Benton

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